The blackness. Once again, he was plunged into shadow. Nothing lay ahead but the hard, marble steps. He had no other choice. All he could do was slowly climb upwards towards the faint white light visible above. Gradually working his way up the stairs, he finally reached the top. The corridor stretched out in front of him; once more, the heavy metal door sat at the far end. The eerie source of light gleamed around the door from the other side. He hesitantly approached it and briefly rested his hands on the handle. Then, pulling it firmly towards him, he wrenched the door open and squeezed through the opening. He found himself back in the vast, brightly lit cavern. Its walls soared up high above his head, fading into the remote shadows beyond, the ceiling a mere suggestion in the distance. A wide, snowy expanse stretched out before him. His bare feet recoiled at the icy touch of the ground. His eyes scanned the cavern. Where could the snow have possibly come from? He weighed up his options and decided to press on. After all, what choice did he really have? It was either that or turn back and return to the sinister darkness.
He trudged slowly forwards, ever more lost in the white vastness. With every step, the freezing snow worked its icy fingers deeper into his core. His whole body convulsed with violent shivers and his eyes wildly searched for anything that could provide heat, life. He stared into the distance, at the pale horizon of that peculiar underground world. He wouldn’t be able to keep going much longer before hypothermia set in. Just then, he noticed something hard beneath his feet. Looking down, he saw that he was standing on ice. Without realising, he had walked straight onto the middle of a frozen lake. It was disconcerting; the lake stretched out for miles around him. It would have been impossible for him to have crossed so far without noticing.
He stumbled onwards. A couple of steps later, a translucent splinter pierced the sole of his right foot. Blood began to gush out from the wound, staining the ice beneath him. He clutched his foot with his hand and tugged at the splinter, cursing. When he pulled it free, crimson red spattered across the frozen ground. Why was there so much blood, he wondered in alarm. All of a sudden, the surface of the lake began to tremble. He quickly looked at the ground. Horrified, he saw that the ice was turning red. Blood red. A red circle was rapidly spreading outwards and he was at its centre. What was happening? The circle of blood expanded outwards until it must have stretched out three hundred feet across. Then it stopped. Just as fast, it now started to recede. The surface of the lake shook again, this time more violently. Aghast, he stared at the ice, unable to move, incapable of fleeing. The bloody circle dwindled until it reached his feet. Then, without warning, blood-stained stalagmites smashed upwards through the ice next to him and the surface began to crack. The water beneath him had vanished. In its place, he was now standing at the edge of a black pit, a torturous chasm that plunged down into the earth. He was hurled down into the void and choked back a scream as the white sky disappeared above him.
Slowly, he came round. He was lying face down on a shore. His legs were drenched with water. How had he got there? It was beyond all comprehension. Dragging himself to his feet, he realised his body ached all over, as if he had been beaten. He stared at his now familiar surroundings. There it was. The giant tree, its aura and presence eclipsing everything in its vicinity. There was nothing else to be seen. Wearily, he set off along the shore of the lake, trying to memorise every feature of the tree, each branch, every detail of its trunk. It must be hundreds of feet high. Perhaps even miles. It was impossible to guess its height or to judge any distances there at all. Nothing was as it seemed in that ominous place.
Suddenly, there was a sharp gust of wind. He spun around to see where it had come from. There was nothing behind him. He was about to keep going when he heard it. At first, it was just a low rumble. Then it began to grow louder. A rhythmic pounding sound, like a huge animal galloping towards him. His whole body tensed; again, he turned to look. Still nothing. The noise grew louder and louder until it was impossible to ignore. It was practically on top of him. Where could he hide? Then, barely sixty feet away from where he was standing, the water at the shore rippled as if shocked into movement by an explosion. The cavern instantly fell silent, a sudden quiet that was even more unnerving. Squinting hard, he still couldn’t make out what could have caused the sound. Taking several hesitant steps towards the water, he was suddenly offered a fleeting glimpse of it. An immense horse with eight legs, silver from nose to tail, drinking water from the lake. The vision barely lasted a second, long enough to paralyse him with fear.
It must have been a mirage. Surely there was nothing really there… As he tried to reassure himself, the beast reappeared out of nowhere. Now it was no longer drinking. It was staring straight at him. The sensation of paralysis spread through his body and an agonising pain coursed up his spine towards his head. The creature vanished, only to reappear seconds later. This time it was stalking towards him. The beast’s eyes blazed with a golden fire, its gaze searing his insides.
WAKE UP!
A powerful voice boomed inside his head, moments before the animal disappeared. The cavern started to shake. Huge rocks tumbled down from the ceiling, smashing open dark furrows in the ground. The water in the lake swirled and the tree began to flicker with golden flames as it cracked and split.
WAKE UP!
Now the horse was much closer. Its lustrous coat gleamed brighter and brighter, its forceful stare beaming into his very soul. Then it disappeared. He wanted to scream but the sound stuck in his throat. He felt his whole body start to simmer and smoulder with an invisible fire, scorching him from within. The great tree had almost been consumed by the flames. All that was left of the cavern was a cloud of ash that dissipated into the shadowy darkness.
WAKE UP!
The beast was right in front of him, more tangible than ever. It reared up on its four powerful hind legs and released a spine-curdling bray. His blood seethed in his veins and an unbearable pain was unleashed throughout his body. He stared at the horse in terror as its metal hooves danced before him until they crashed to the ground once more. For a moment, their eyes met. Finally, the creature gathered momentum and surged forwards, turning into a ghastly flaming phantom that set him ablaze as it pierced his body.
WAKE UP!
Luis woke up with a scream that must have roused half the neighbourhood. He was burning up, his body soaked in sweat like never before. I must have a raging temperature, he thought. Touching his forehead with his hand, he instantly snatched his fingers away before they were singed. The back of his neck prickled painfully again. He went to the bathroom and checked it in the mirror. It was slightly red, but otherwise normal. What was happening to him? What were these nightmares? One thing was certain: they were getting more intense. Enough was enough. He had to talk to someone about them. Perhaps they could prescribe him something to help him sleep. He needed a decent night’s rest, just one night’s peace from these torments. Anyway, he thought, there was no going back to sleep now. He may as well bow to the inevitable and start the day.
It was Saturday. No university or EAC. Instead, he had arranged to pick up his brother, Tristan. They were going to drive up to the Mirador del Aljarafe, a viewpoint that looked out over Seville. It was something of a tradition they shared, an excuse to spend some time alone together and share what was happening in their lives. After seeing Tristan, he had to drive over to the air base at Morón. There was a final rehearsal for the Día de la Hispanidad parachute display; there were just a few days to go. All the parachutists had to be fully prepared; there could be no mistakes on the day. The whole air show was going to be broadcast live on television so they had to be at their best.
Once he was showered and dressed, Luis went downstairs to the car park underneath his building and slipped into his metallic red hybrid car. There was barely any traffic at that time of the morning and in just a few minutes he had left the city behind and reached his parents’ house. He beeped the horn twice and waited in the car outside. Moments later, the front door opened and Tristan appeared in the doorway. He was clutching a plastic bag. Their mother peered around the door behind him and blew Luis a kiss. Luis blew one back. Tristan opened the passenger door and quickly hopped into the car. Despite the early start he was wide awake. The boy was only fifteen but was well-developed for his age. Tall and slim, he had eye-catching long blonde hair and startling blue eyes, identical to his brother’s.
“Hi,” Tristan said, kissing his brother on each cheek.
“Hi to you too. What’ve you got there?” Luis asked, pointing at the bag.
“You know Mamá… Two sandwiches. She said we can’t go without breakfast. We’re supposed to eat them at the Mirador.”
“She’ll never change. I’ve told her enough times not to worry about it. You ready?”
“Yeah. Let’s get out of here.”
Luis started the engine and they pulled away from the house. Since he had moved out, he and Tristan had fallen into a routine of seeing each other every week. And once a month, they went up to the Mirador del Aljarafe, a steep hill just outside Seville with views over the whole city. The Mirador was close by and the roads were empty on a Saturday morning so they were there in no time at all. They parked and walked over to the main viewpoint. Luis and Tristan loved this spot. Set next to a botanical garden, the Mirador and its surroundings were dotted with countless different species of flower. It was a haven of peace, a quiet, natural space where they could look down on the bustling city of Seville in the distance. Both found it a particularly good place to reflect on their lives. Luis and Tristan sat down and felt themselves unwind and relax. They started to talk, chatting about recent events, their fears, their dreams for the future. This was their moment to strengthen their bond as brothers, now that they no longer lived together.
They walked over to the railing; the view stretched out across the whole city. It was a clear, cloudless day with perfect visibility.
“So, next week you’ll be up there, flying around. The centre of attention,” Tristan turned to him.
“I wouldn’t put it like that. But yes, the show’s in a couple of days. At last. I really hope it goes OK and I don’t mess up.”
“If anyone can pull it off it’s you. You’re not Papá’s favourite for nothing.”
“Come on, Tristan. Mamá and Papá don’t have favourites, you know that. They love us both the same. Don’t wind yourself up about it.”
“I don’t know, Luis. Seriously, they look at you differently, I can tell. They have this special expression, it’s like a mixture of pride and satisfaction. It’s not there when they look at me.”
“That’s not true. It’s just that you’ve always been their baby, the one we all like to spoil. Believe me, I know it’s true. Especially when we were younger.” Luis shook his head, gesturing at the absurdity of Tristan's idea.
“Yeah, maybe. I don’t know. Thing is, I’m not always top of the class in school, or the best at sports, like you are…”
“Tristan, you’re young. You’re talented. All you need to do is find your goal in life. Work out what you want to be. When you figure it out, you’ll be the first to know. In the meantime, try to have a bit more faith in yourself. You’ve got a lot going for you. I know what I’m talking about.”
“I guess you’re right…” Tristan looked resigned. “Anyway, I’ll be down there next week, with Mamá and Papá. Watching you jump. Are you really going to land right in front of the king? And the president?”
“Yep, that’s the idea. I mean, these things aren’t a hundred percent accurate, but with the right wind and as long as there are no surprises… I should land just in front of the VIP box,” Luis explained.
“Don’t worry, I’m sure it’ll all go to plan. You’re the best,” made the victory gesture.
Tristan took out one of the sandwiches and passed it to Luis. Then he picked up the second one and took a bite.
“You know what one of the things I miss most about living at home is? Getting to eat Mamá’s cooking every day,” Luis swallowed another piece with visible pleasure.
“That all?” Tristan looked at him grumbling.
“No, of course not,” Luis said with a sigh. “But Tristan, I do still live really close to you. I mean, we see each other all the time.”
“But it’s not the same. I don’t know. Sometimes I get this feeling, like you’re going to stop coming to see us. We won’t come up here anymore and you’ll leave me all alone.”
“Listen, Tristan. I’m your brother. That won’t change. Ever. I’ll always love you. And I’ll always want to see you and spend time with you.”
“Really? Promise?”
“I swear, as your brother, that I’ll always be here for you. I’ll never let you feel alone or abandoned,” Luis said, solemnly.
“OK. Got it. Remember, oaths between brothers can’t be broken,” Tristan added, equally in earnest. “Don’t go thinking I’m depressed, it’s nothing like that. I just miss how things were before. When we were always together. You’ve got your own life now, with university and the aerospace project. Sometimes I feel like I just get in the way. That you’ve got so many other, more important, things to do.”
“It’s not like that. Remember, we might see less of each other… I might be really busy… But nothing will ever change the way I feel about you, Papá and Mamá. You’re always right here, in my heart. I think about you all the time. Don’t ever forget that,” Luis reassured him.
“Fine, fine. You’ve talked me round, big guy,” Tristan laughed.
“Come on, short-ass… You need a good shake, to knock those dumb ideas out of your head,” Luis was infected with his laughter.
Luis made to hit Tristan but his younger brother dodged out of the way. They launched into a play fight, throwing fake punches and blocking attacks. It was one of their favourite games. Tristan may have been smaller and less fit than Luis but he was still slim and quick on his feet; their games of cat and mouse often lasted a good while. They didn’t really try to hit each other, instead the aim was to pin their opponent down. Luis looked at Tristan appreciatively. Although he was much younger, he knew that if his brother ever decided to work out properly, he would be impossible to beat. His body was a goldmine waiting to be exploited. The game carried on for a while, the brothers laughing and gasping for breath in equal measure. Eventually, they ran out of steam. They were both sweating and Luis realised he was running late.
“Come on, little bro. Time to drop you back home. I’m driving all the way over to Morón now. I’ve got a long day ahead of me,” Luis said.
“Excuses, eh⁈ Don’t want to admit that your little brother just beat you⁈” Tristan ribbed him.
“Yeah, right. You wish. Come on, let’s go.” Luis finished while ruffling his hair.
They gathered up their things and headed back to the car. Driving away, they left the Mirador behind with its panoramic view of Seville, the botanical gardens and myriad plants and trees. They bid farewell to their sanctuary of peace and calm, where their brotherly ties could never be broken.
Eva sat down at a table on one of the terrace bars on the Alameda de Hercules in Seville. The blazing midday sun was at its height. She had arranged to meet Raquel and Miguel here, two of Luis’s childhood friends. The plan was to put their heads together and come up with an idea for Luis’s birthday party. Raquel had been friends with Luis since they were tiny. In recent years, she had always been the one to organise his parties, probably because her job as a producer at an audiovisual company meant that she was good at bossing people around. Miguel was her boyfriend. They had been together for over seven years and he had been friends with Luis since they started school.
Eva was elated. It had been an exhilarating week. Every day they spent at the EAC she discovered new work opportunities to consider in the future. With each day that passed, she became more and more convinced that she had made the right career choice. Besides, she also loved how her relationship with Luis was developing. If they had been inseparable before, now they were practically joined at the hip. Between their university classes and the project, they spent virtually twenty-four hours a day together. Eva had to be honest with herself: she was starting to see him in a new light. She still didn’t want to complicate matters, but it was impossible to ignore her feelings for him any longer. Yes, she knew he was still seeing Marta. But Eva was convinced he had strong feelings for her too. As she turned this over in her mind, Raquel and Miguel finally appeared.
“Hi Eva,” they said, greeting her with a kiss.
“Hi guys. How’s it going?”
“All good… A bit tired maybe. We had a bit of a late one. But it’s nothing a nice cold beer won’t fix,” Raquel said, laughing and winking at Miguel.
“Erm… I definitely need a beer. Want one, Eva?” Miguel said, his cheeks flushing.
“Yeah, go on. I think it’s time we got started,” Eva couldn't help but smile at his blush.
“Yes, you’re right,” Raquel agreed. “So, do you know what you’re going to get Luis?”
“Well, I’ve got a few ideas, but I haven’t decided yet,” Eva looked up, thoughtful.
“Two beers, coming up,” said Miguel, returning from the bar with their drinks.
“Thanks,” the girls replied.
“OK, the party… How about this? We thought we could all meet up for drinks here, on the Alameda. Then we could surprise him with dinner in a restaurant round the corner. Everyone could be there. He definitely won’t expect it,” Raquel listed them on her fingers.
“Sounds good. Who are you planning to invite?” Eva looked at her, intrigued.
“Let’s see… Apart from us three, we were thinking of asking his closest uni friends, Javi, Julián, Andrés, Sara, Laura and—Well, it looks like Marta’s coming too.” Raquel put her hand to her chin, thinking.
“Marta? Oh. I didn’t think she’d be there.” Eva snorted with an annoyed expression.
“We didn’t either, but she rang me about his birthday the other day. She’s kind of obsessed with him lately,” Miguel acknowledged.
“Between you and me, I don’t think Luis is really that into her,” Raquel said reassuringly.
“Yeah, that’s the impression I get too. But until they both figure it out, there’s not much the rest of us can do.” Eva sighed.
“If you don’t mind me saying, I’ve always thought you two would make a great couple,” Raquel said, giving her a nudge.
“Luis and me? Get out of here… We’re just good friends, I don’t think it’d work out…” Eva denied.
“Yeah, yeah. The typical excuse. Look, I’m just saying that it’s obvious this thing with Marta has no future in it. The only girl who sets Luis alight is you,” Raquel looked at her as if saying something very obvious.
“Well, let’s not force things. Either it’ll happen or it won’t. Anyway, getting back to the surprise birthday dinner…” Eva was starting to get nervous about the subject. “There are only two weeks to go. You know how hard it is to round everyone up.”
“I know, I know. Let’s see. How about this…” Raquel began to say, understanding that she should not insist.
The three students whiled away the next few hours chatting over tapas and beers as they plotted how to surprise their friend.
After dropping Tristan off at their parents’ house, Luis took the motorway to Morón Air Base. With one of his favourite rock bands playing on the car stereo, he turned over the conversation with his brother in his head. It troubled him to hear that Tristan felt so inferior, so mediocre. It was especially worrying that he thought that their parents did not love them the same. He would have to talk it over with their mother. Convince them both to give Tristan’s self-confidence a boost before it started to cause problems. Luis was the type of person who liked to face things head on; if there was a problem, he wanted to discuss it openly rather than keep his mouth shut. Sticking your head in the sand and pretending everything was fine just created mountains out of molehills. One thing was true though… Tristan didn’t distinguish himself in the same way Luis had at the same age. But it wasn’t because he lacked skills or potential. He simply hadn’t yet found something that inspired a real passion. For instance, ever since Luis was small, he had always loved anything related to flying and space. It had been a natural progression for him to study aerospace engineering. Of course, his father had attempted to direct his enthusiasm towards military aviation while his mother had stood firm and guided him onto a civilian path. It may be less direct than joining the army, but would ultimately lead to greater rewards if he applied himself hard enough.
And that was exactly what he was doing at the EAC: focusing his energy on the Hermes Project. The first week had primarily consisted of introductions to the department and facilities. After meeting the Flight Interface team, Luis and Eva had familiarised themselves with the department protocols and work systems. Alabaster Steinwall had turned out to be rather eccentric but was undoubtedly a genius. It put a spring in Luis’s step to think that he was working with some of the most brilliant minds on the planet. It was a unique opportunity. Luis and Eva worked hand in glove; they learned fast and quickly proved that they too could be important pieces in the Flight Interface Department. The rest of the team had initially been rather hesitant, but finally started to accept their suggestions and incorporate their ideas with highly positive results. In fact, Luis had come up with an interesting idea for improving the way in which the interface prototype controls could be synchronised. His new approach meant that synchronisation would now take less than half the time. Steinwall had been suitably impressed and the discovery had earned his respect. This helped Luis and Eva during those first few days and thanks to their efforts, they quickly slotted into Steinwall’s team along with Verheide, Rojas and Costa. At least that was the impression Vidal gave them when they talked to her.
Luis loved working with Eva. They spent practically the whole day together, between university in the morning and the EAC in the afternoon.
They took turns to drive over to the facilities after their morning classes. All that was missing was actually living together, in every other respect they were just like a married couple, Luis thought with a smile. The idea was not unappealing. He was still seeing Marta but if he was honest with himself, they were drifting further and further apart. He felt far closer to Eva. The idea of being with her, his friend, threw him off balance. He had no idea what she thought about it and was terrified of asking. Ruining their friendship was the last thing he wanted. Naturally, the fact he spent so much time with Eva did not sit well with Marta and had led to several jealousy-fuelled scenes that only served to put him on edge.
With these thoughts buzzing around his head, he finally reached the main entrance to Morón Air Base. After showing the guards his authorisation and id card, he drove through the entrance gate and headed towards the nearest car park. As he pulled up, he spotted the rest of his skydiving team and their mentor, Enrique Ramos. Luis had taken up the sport nearly seven years ago, originally training with Seville Skydiving Club. Hundreds of jumps later, he had reached the most advanced level possible; the only way to progress further was with the army. Only the military was authorised to do high altitude jumps and this was when his father’s influence had proved invaluable. After all, Luis was not actually in the army. Fortunately, they turned a blind eye for the son of Colonel Odén. Aware of his good fortune, Luis always made sure not to abuse his position and treated the airmen and paratroopers with the utmost respect and humility.
He parked the car and climbed out to join the others. He greeted a team-mate and then approached Ramos.
“We made it to the final rehearsal at last, huh? After all our hard work, this display is going to go down in history,” Luis looked at him with determination.
“It sure will. You’re not nervous, are you? You’ve got a big role. Whether or not this thing is a success is partly down to you… But I know you’re up to it,” Ramos patted him on the back.
“Yes, it’s a big responsibility. But I’m not nervous. Every jump is different. This one won’t be any easier or harder than the others. I guess the only difference is this time there’ll be a lot more people watching me.” He responded confidently.
“I guess so. By the way, there’s been a last-minute change. Pablo isn’t going to jump with you at the end with the flag.”
“What? Why’s that? What happened?” Luis asked in surprise.
“Appendicitis. They operated two weeks ago. He wanted to take part anyway, but the doctors said he should rest up for a month.”
“Wow, that’s bad luck. So, I’m jumping alone?”
“No, the air force has found you an American replacement.”
“American?”
“Yes, in the end they’ve changed your role in the display. Instead of carrying a big Spanish flag between the two of you, each of you are going to carry a smaller national flag, one Spanish and the other American. The plan is for you to land in front of the VIP box with the two flags as a gesture of friendship and good relations between the two nations.”
“Ugh, I can’t stand this obsession with making everything so political,” Luis grumbled, visibly annoyed.
“I know, but we’re in no position to object. Without the support of the army, there’s no way we’d get to take part in an event like this. Besides, it’s going to be really good for the skydiving club. Lots of free publicity. I’m sure it’ll bring in some new members.”
“Yeah, I get it. Anyway, I guess we shouldn’t get ahead of ourselves. First, we better see who this ‘expert’ is, the one that’s replacing Pablo,” These things irritated him greatly.
“Exactly. Right, it’s time. Everyone, head over to the rehearsal hangar,” Ramos called out, gesturing for the others to follow him.
There were ten skydivers in their team. The car park was filled with other groups of civilian skydiving clubs who were visiting from across Spain, some even travelling to Seville from abroad. In total, three hundred civilian and military parachutists were due to take part in the exhibition. One of the vast hangars used for repairs had been set up for the rehearsal. As everyone trooped in, they saw a long table covered with food and snacks, courtesy of the Ministry of Defence. The parachute jumpers made a beeline for it and started to help themselves; once the rehearsal began no one knew when their next meal would be.
All the groups gradually made their way into the hangar and soon everyone was ready. Circles of people quickly formed, grouping together to discuss the rehearsal and make small talk. Ten minutes later, at the precise time set for the rehearsal, the military paratroopers and pilots in charge of coordinating the show entered the hangar. Luis instantly recognised Colonel Daniel Hidalgo, his father’s replacement when he retired, and Commander Juan Aguilera, one of the most highly regarded pilots at the base. Aguilera was friends with his father and Luis had known him since he was a boy. Another airman accompanied them, this time in US uniform; his face looked somehow familiar but Luis struggled to place him.
The three men stopped next to a projector while the other airmen stood to one side.
“Good morning, everyone. I’m Colonel Daniel Hidalgo. I’m in charge of the 11th Wing in the Spanish Air Force. The Ministry of Defence has asked me to supervise and coordinate the air show. As you know, it’ll be part of the Día de la Hispanidad military parade. This is Commander Juan Aguilera. He runs the ‘Diablos de Hispania’ Squadron in the 11th Wing. And this is Lieutenant Colonel Jack Preston from the United States Air Force.”
As soon as he heard the name, Luis scrutinised the man’s face. Now he knew why he recognised him; he had seen him before. It had been last Wednesday, at the EAC. He remembered it because something about the visitor had caught his eye. That afternoon, Luis had been working with Eva. They had been developing his idea for the flight interface when Vidal had asked him to collect some documents that were needed from Admin. Luis had left the department and passed through the security check to wait for a transport vehicle to drive past. As he stood outside, a vehicle soon pulled up but Luis quickly realised that it was full. It stopped right in front of him. One of the passengers was a blonde man in his forties. He was wearing the official uniform of the United States Air Force. Sánchez was next to him. Luis heard her telling the man that this was the Flight Interface Department for the new space shuttle prototype. But what really caught his attention was what she said next. Sánchez told the American that they were now going to visit the department where the electromagnetic catapult was being developed. The launch system for the spaceship the EAC was developing. Luis would have given his back teeth to have been able to go with them; he was dying to see the technology with his own eyes. When the vehicle pulled away, Luis’s eyes briefly met those of the American before the pilot was borne away along the corridor. Luis knew that NASA was actively involved in the Hermes Project but had never suspected that the USAF was also playing a part. When he returned to his department, he told Eva what he had seen but with so much on his mind, it soon faded into the background. He had forgotten all about it until now.
Luis snapped back into the present. Colonel Hidalgo was still giving his speech and had just introduced Aguilera, who was about to describe the aeroplanes that would be used by the parachutists. The parachute exhibition would involve four A400Ms. Three of the aircraft would carry nearly three hundred paratroopers and civilian skydivers, who would jump from an altitude of twenty-three thousand feet. The fourth would be used exclusively by the two parachute jumpers who would be carrying the Spanish and United States national flags. They would jump from forty thousand feet using special high-altitude equipment. When Aguilera had finished, Colonel Hidalgo introduced Captain Gerardo Leal who was responsible for coordinating the exhibition. The Captain started to describe the exercise in detail.
He began by welcoming everyone and reiterating how complex the parachute display was going to be. It was the first time an event of this scale would be held in Spain with such a large number of civilian and military parachutists. The key to its success was ensuring all the groups were coordinated and worked in synchronisation once in the air.
“There will be three groups, each jumping from one of the three main A400Ms. Only Lieutenant Colonel Jack Preston and Luis Odén, the two flag bearers, will jump from the fourth aeroplane,” he explained, gesturing for them to join him at the front.
Preston positioned himself next to Captain Leal. He watched as Luis left one of the groups listening to the presentation and wove his way through the crowd to join him. The boy looked really familiar. Preston knew he was Colonel Odén’s son; he had known the colonel well when he had been stationed in Spain years back. Luis bore a striking resemblance to his father. But there was something else… He was sure he had seen him before. But where? All he knew was that it had been recently.
Captain Leal switched on a projector and a video simulation of the exhibition started to play. He talked over the images and explained that the first three A400Ms would fly at twenty-three thousand feet, whereas the fourth would be much higher, at forty thousand feet. When the four aircraft reached the launch point above Seville, all the parachutists would perform a synchronised jump at the same time. The three hundred skydivers would spread out and free fall in a giant rectangle formation, displaying the national colours of Spain. At the same time, the two flag bearers would perform a halo jump; they would hurtle earthwards, free falling towards the ground at top speed while dispersing trails of coloured smoke. They would reach the main group just as it had finished forming the giant rectangle. When they passed through it, the rectangle would divide into thirty smaller rectangles consisting of ten parachutists each. They would hold this position for five seconds and then separate to open their parachutes safely, floating down to the drop zone. The two flag bearers would head to a different drop zone right in front of the VIP box. They would free fall at terminal velocity down to one thousand feet and then simultaneously open their parachutes and flags to make a spectacular landing right in front of the box. As long as there were no mistakes and the jumpers worked in perfect synchronisation, there was no reason it shouldn’t go without a hitch.
“Good. Now, everyone outside. We’ve set up a practice area to rehearse the main formation. Please, follow your group leaders. They’re in charge of coordinating your positions. You’ve got two hours to rehearse the individual movements in your groups, then we’ll run through the exhibition with all of you together,” Captain Leal announced.
Colonel Hidalgo left the hangar while Captain Leal told Luis and Preston to join him in a roped off area where they could kit up together. Aguilera followed them. When they reached their section, they saw some airmen preparing two special jumpsuits and their high-altitude equipment. As they were going to jump from forty thousand feet, they would therefore need far more advanced equipment than the gear used by the other skydivers. For instance, their jumpsuits and helmets were hermetically sealed together and were designed to withstand low temperatures. They would also each be carrying an oxygen supply to help them breathe at high altitude where oxygen was scarce. The helmets had been designed with cutting edge technology, incorporating an advanced communication system and an augmented reality interface in the visor that displayed their trajectory during the jump.
Preston continued to study Luis. He definitely recognised the boy but still couldn’t place him. Aguilera noticed his puzzlement and came over to help.
“I don’t believe you’re been properly introduced. Jack, this is Luis Odén. Luis, this is Lieutenant Colonel Jack Preston. He’s the finest pilot in the United States Air Force and a good friend of mine.”
“Pleased to meet you, Lieutenant Colonel Preston.” Luis stretched out his hand.
“The pleasure’s all mine. Call me Jack, please,” Preston replied, shaking it.
“As you’ll have guessed, Luis is the son of Colonel Guillermo Odén, Colonel Hidalgo’s predecessor. I believe you knew him when you were stationed with us,” Aguilera smiled at him.
“Yes, the resemblance is unmistakable. But there’s something else… I don’t think we ever met when you were small, but you look somehow familiar. I’m sure I’ve seen you somewhere before,” Preston said.
“It was last Wednesday, at the European Aerospace Centre. You were with Lara Sánchez, in front of the Flight Interface Department,” Luis stared at him, amused.
“Ah yes, that’s it. I saw you when we drove past. But what were you doing there?” The image finally came to him suddenly.
“I’m in my last year of an aerospace engineering degree and have just started an internship at the EAC. I’m working in the Flight Interface Department, on the Hermes Project.”
“What a small world! I can’t believe you’ve already met,” Aguilera said in surprise.
“Yes, what a coincidence! But something tells me we’ll be seeing quite a bit more of each other,” Preston smiled enigmatically.
“Why’s that? If you don’t mind me asking, why were you visiting the facilities?” Luis opened his eyes with curiosity.. “If you’re allowed to say, of course.”
“I’m in Seville to assess the Hermes Project for NASA. You saw me on my first day, but I’ll be sticking around for a few more weeks.”
“Wow… You have no idea how jealous I am that you can visit the whole complex. You’re seeing things my friends and I can only dream about.”
“Well, I’d love to be able to share everything I’ve seen with you. But, as you know, it’s a question of confidentiality… We have different access levels, so…” Preston shrugged.
“I know, I know, don’t worry. My plan is to work really hard so that one day, I’ll have access to every area too,” Luis looked him in the eyes with determination.
Captain Leal cut in. “Sorry to interrupt, but it’s time to focus on your equipment and run through your role in the exhibition.”
“Of course. I see you’ve got everything ready for our high-altitude jump,” Preston examined the gear.
“Yes, sir. This equipment is reserved for the exclusive use of our sappers. You can imagine how hard it was to persuade them to let us use it in the display,” Captain Leal smiled proudly.
“OK. Luis, you’ve got experience doing high altitude jumps? Even though you’re not military?” Preston turned to him.
“Yes, that’s right. I’ve done over three thousand jumps with civilian teams and thirty HALO jumps with the air force.” Luis was proud.
“Wow… That’s pretty impressive for a kid of your age. Especially a civilian.” Preston admitted, impressed.
“Well, Jack, you know we all thought very highly of Colonel Odén here. And we’ve always had a soft spot for his boy, especially as he’s always had a real thing about flying. Actually, we almost managed to convince him to follow in his old man’s footsteps and join us as a pilot. But in the end, he set his sights on a higher sky than the one we could offer him,” Aguilera resigned.
“Thanks, Juan. It goes without saying I always had a blast whenever I used to visit the base with my father. You even let me try the flight simulator.” Luis blushed slightly.
“Excuse me, gentlemen. If you don’t mind, it’s time to try on your equipment to check that it fits and is working properly,” Captain Leal interrupted them again.
The two airmen helped them to put on their parachutes and kit: an automatic opening system, a knife, gloves and boots. Luis and Preston picked up their helmets and put them on, hermetically sealing them to their jumpsuits. The visors automatically switched on and started to display the altitude, air pressure and speed. The readings were all currently normal because they were still on the ground. The internal oxygen systems also came to life; an extra oxygen supply was essential during such high altitude jumps to prevent the skydiver passing out.
“OK, so how do you feel?” Captain Leal began to examine them.
“Fine. Good design,” Preston nodded.
“All OK here. The helmet’s amazing. Are you sure I can’t take it home with me?” Luis tried his luck, unable to help but laugh lightly.
“I’m afraid not, Mr Odén. Now you need to do some test jumps to make sure everything’s working properly and you’re both comfortable. Remember, you must tell me if you have any problems moving, however small they seem,” Captain Leal continued to check everything carefully.
Luis and Preston repeated some test jumps onto a large mat to check the strength of the equipment. Luis loved the helmet’s interface system. Every time he was about to jump, the visor displayed his descent speed and change in altitude with pinpoint accuracy. When they had finished, he went outside to grab a bottle of water and took a big gulp. Preston and Aguilera were standing outside chatting. Luis had known Aguilera since he was small; he was practically an uncle to him. On the other hand, meeting Preston had been something of a surprise. Aguilera had told Luis that he was a USAF ace and, as if that weren’t enough, he was also involved in the Hermes Project at the highest possible level. You would have thought that Preston would be cold and distant, looking down on other people from a lofty height. Nothing could be further from the truth. Luis thought he seemed really professional and easy to talk to. He could definitely learn a lot from the American, so he promised himself he would make the most of these rehearsals and the day of the parachute display.
Luis joined their conversation. Studying the boy, Preston agreed with Aguilera. He had a great deal of potential. It was a real shame they couldn’t use him as a fighter pilot. Even so, Preston was sure that the kid was going places. He had that intense gaze and his eyes transmitted a burning desire to learn and improve. He was ambitious and was clearly not the sort to throw in the towel at the first sign of trouble. To cut things short, Preston liked him. He greatly admired Luis’s father, Colonel Odén, but it was clear that the son was going to surpass him by a long mile. What a fantastic asset he make for the Phoenix Project, Preston thought.
Captain Leal rejoined them after checking the progress of the other parachute groups. He returned looking satisfied. It was no wonder. By organising this event, they had succeeded in bringing together the best civilian and military professionals in Spain. Among the paratroopers were members of Special Forces teams such as the Special Operations Unit, the Legion and the Air Force Sappers squadron.
“If everyone’s happy, I think it’s time. We should get started with the first full rehearsal,” Captain Leal pointed to the rest of the groups.
“OK, let’s get started. It’s going to be quite something watching all these guys lying on the floor pretending to be falling from the sky,” Aguilera tried to contain his laughter.
“I know. It’d be better to do it up there,” Captain Leal lamented, “but it was beyond our budget.”
They all trooped outside to join the other parachutists. The sun was beating down hard and everyone was starting to suffer in the heat. Captain Leal told the teams to take a five-minute bathroom break, encouraging them to drink some water before the rehearsal started. Most of the parachutists hurried into the hangar; they were thirsty and five minutes wasn’t long. Luis and Preston headed over to the far side of the area marked out for the dry run. Aguilera stood on one side, while Captain Leal went to fetch a megaphone, he could use to call out his instructions. Luis took advantage of this brief moment of downtime to greet his team and mentor, Enrique Ramos. He chatted to them for a few moments, asking them how they thought the exercise was going and telling them how impressed he was with the augmented reality system in his helmet.
Luis rejoined Preston as the other parachutists started to return. Preston had put on his sunglasses to combat the bright sunshine; they had left the helmets and heavy equipment inside. During the rehearsal, he and Luis would only be required to walk between the other parachute jumpers. Ramos and the other teams would be the ones breaking a sweat.
The five minute break was up. Captain Leal waited for the last stragglers to arrive and announced that it was time to begin. When they were all in position, he began to call out orders, describing the sequence of events. The parachutists huddled into three groups to simulate being inside the three aeroplanes. Two groups were wearing red jumpsuits and the third was dressed in yellow. Captain Leal announced that they should ‘jump’ and start to move. The three groups simultaneously began to spread out and lie face down in a staggered formation along the ground to form a huge, three-striped rectangle. There were two red stripes and one yellow one: the flag of Spain.
“Flag-bearers, jump!” Captain Leal shouted.
“Let’s go,” Preston said to Luis.
Preston and Luis moved from the far side to the centre of the rectangle while avoiding the prone bodies. When they reached the centre, Captain Leal shouted out another order. Starting with those closest to the flag-bearers, the parachutists started to move in an outwards wave towards the edges. They formed thirty groups of ten parachute jumpers, the groups moving apart from each other by rolling and crawling along the floor. Meanwhile, Preston and Luis carried on walking to the opposite side of the rectangle from their starting position. When they arrived, all the small groups had smoothly dispersed. Captain Leal now shouted that it was time for the main groups to open their parachutes. The small groups broke apart and each participant stood up to distance themselves from the rest. Slowly but surely, each of the parachute jumpers moved over to a specific drop zone, one of four that had been marked on each side of the now vanished rectangle. Once they had all ‘landed’, Captain Leal called the rehearsal to a close. “Listen up, everyone. We filmed the rehearsal so now we’re going back into the hangar to watch the video. We’ll use it to run through a few details,” he barked through the megaphone.
They all returned to the hangar. Luis stood with Ramos while Preston joined Aguilera. Captain Leal started to play the video on the projector screen. They watched their performance; it had been filmed by a camera located at the top of a post near the rehearsal zone. Captain Leal paused the video several times to make comments. Overall, it had gone fairly well. But, he explained, there was still room for improvement. The groups had to work in perfect synchronisation and it was vital that the parachute jumpers kept a safe distance from each other. This was particularly important in the final stage; once they opened their parachutes, there was a greater risk of crashing into one another or becoming entangled. When the video finished, Captain Leal told the teams to take a twenty minute lunch break. The rehearsal would continue afterwards for a further two hours so that they could perfect the exercise before doing a final run through. Luis decided to eat with Ramos and his other friends from the skydiving club. They sat down on the hangar floor and snacked on some sandwiches provided by the Ministry of Defence catering company.
“Not bad for a first rehearsal, don’t you think?” Luis asked Ramos as he gobbled up a piece of sandwich.
“No, not bad at all. But it’s like Captain Leal said. We’ve got to practice until it’s perfect. It only takes one person to make a mistake and then the whole exhibition will be ruined.” Ramos was very demanding.
“I know. Still, I’m sure that after today everyone will be ready. On the actual day, it’ll all run like clockwork.”
“That’s the idea. Let’s hope it goes well. Seriously, it’s going to be pretty spectacular. I hope the people watching on the ground and on tv are suitably impressed.” Ramos nodded, hopefully.
“Oh yeah, that’s right,” Luis remembered. “It won’t just be people on the ground this time, will it? Have you heard anything about the TV coverage?”
“According to the last email we were sent, it’s going to be broadcast live on national TV. They’re going to use five mobile units on the ground, a helicopter and cameras on each of the aeroplanes. And on top of that, they’ll be able to link up to each of the parachutists’ cameras. Including yours and Lieutenant Colonel Preston’s.” He looked at him, suspiciously.
“Us too? No one told me about that.” Luis looked upset.
“Relax. If I heard right, Captain Leal will be with the crew to make sure they only link to you at the right moment. And only for as long as necessary,” Ramos pointed to the military officer.
“To be honest, I’m not that keen on thousands of people seeing everything that I see and having no control over it,” Luis admitted. “But I guess if Captain Leal will be there, that takes a weight off my mind.” Luis sighed.
They finished eating and said goodbye before returning to their positions for two more hours of rehearsals. Luis joined Preston, Aguilera and Captain Leal, who told them it was time to test their smoke machines and to practice unfurling their flags. The smoke machines would be switched on just before they leapt from the aircraft and the flags would be released at the same time as their parachutes opened. Their parachutes would open automatically and the flags would be launched from a small compartment attached to their backpacks. After checking everything several times, everyone headed outside for the final rehearsal. Captain Leal brought them together, gave them a few minutes’ rest, and then they ran through the whole exhibition again. This time the result was more satisfactory and all the participants found their places without hesitation. By the time they finished, Captain Leal was beaming. He congratulated everyone, saying he hoped the display turned out as well as it had today.
Ramos and the parachuting team waved goodbye to Luis, who needed to stay on at the base for a while longer. The hangar gradually emptied until only a few people remained. Luis seized his chance to play around with the helmet interface system again.
“You’re really keen on that helmet, aren’t you?” Luis turned to see Preston standing behind him.
“Yes, it’s something else… We’re working on something similar at the EAC, one that’s a lot more advanced. But having the chance to actually use this and not just look at a diagram or watch a 3D simulation… It’s incredible.”
“You should see the helmets we use in the air force. You’d be totally blown away by what you can do in a fighter jet these days with a helmet and decent interface,” Preston looked at him enigmatically.
“I’d love to have a go. It’d be like a dream come true… But I gave up those dreams for a bigger one. Working on the next generation of spaceships.” Luis remembered proudly.
“I appreciate that. But it’s a pity. You’d have made a great fighter pilot. I’m sure of it.” Preston put his right hand to his chin, thoughtful.
“You and my father must have really got along. He’s been saying the same thing for years. But it wasn’t to be.”
“Either way, you’ve clearly got a gift. Don’t worry about the exhibition, I’m sure it’ll all go smoothly on the day,” Preston said encouragingly. “Until then, take care. See you soon.” Preston rejoined Aguilera.
Luis went to say goodbye to Aguilera too. The squadron leader gave him a farewell hug and told him to look after himself. No overdoing it before the show. Before he left, Luis told Aguilera not to worry, he was highly responsible. He would be there on the day in one piece.
“He’s a great kid,” Preston followed him with his eyes.
“Yeah, he’s always been remarkable, ever since he was small. I reckon he could do whatever he wanted with his life.” Aguilera recalled fondly.
“You know what? I think you’re right. That’s why I figure there still might be some way of getting him to join us. Of making the most of all that potential.” A smile appeared on Preston's face.
“Stop it, Jack. I don’t want to know what’s running through your mind,” Aguilera said with a wry smile as they left the hangar together.